Energy from forests - The limits of substainability

Wood has become an important source of energy, with wood-fired power stations playing an ever greater role. Lorenz Knauer takes a closer look at the effects this development of a „new‘‘ form o f energy has on Bavarian forests.

Director: Lorenz Knauer

Lorenz Knauer was born on July 29th, 1953 in Munich, and grew up in England, the United States and Germany.
He studied Romance languages and literature and trained to become a writer and director in Germany, France, Italy and the US.
Since 1980 freelance documentary filmmaker: reports, film portraits, dramatic recreations, television features and long documentaries for ARD, ZDF, ORF and independent producers in Germany and the United States.
From 1990 freelancer for the renowned human interest series „37°„ on ZDF and „Unter Unserem Himmel“ (Under Our Skies) on Bavarian Broadcasting BR The following documentaries, among others, were honoured at international festivals: „Miss Baby oder: Das Drama des perfekten Kindes“ about overeager parenting; „Nymphenburg“ about Munich's famous castle; „Die Isar – Ein menschlich-topographisches Porträt“ portraying the Isar river; „Im Herzen der Alpen: Zwischen Schönheit und Zerstörung“ showing the Alps.
2004-2010 he worked on the feature documentary „Jane’s Journey“ depicting Dr. Jane Goodall, the famous British primatologist, UN Messenger of Peace and environmental activist; this film was awarded the „Green Oscar“, the „International Green Film Award“, the main prize at „CINEMA FOR PEACE“ in Berlin 2011 and was on the OSCAR shortlist 2012.
In 2011 he resumed work for „Unter Unserem Himmel“ with a focus on environmental themes: „Münchner Müllgeschichten“ about waste disposal; „Energie vom Feld – vom Mais zum Bio-Strom“ about bio-electricity and „Energie aus dem Wald – Die Grenzen der Nachhaltigkeit“ on the topic of sustainability.